Creamy vegan mushroom soup with lentils

This creamy vegan mushroom soup with lentils and brown rice is just the trick for frigid, snowy days.

‘Tis the season for stick-to-your-ribs soups. While I think there’s something very elegant about a perfectly smooth bisque, when I’m hankering for a soup that is a full meal on its own, a purely blended number won’t do. I need to have something to bite into for a soup to seem especially satiating.

(In some ways it’s like having a smoothie for breakfast. For me, slurpable smoothies just aren’t filling enough unless I’m planning on eating an hour later.)

Vegan mushroom soup

This creamy vegan mushroom soup with lentils and brown rice has all of the velvetiness of a cream of mushroom soup plus the hearty, protein-packed oomph of added lentils and rice. Delicate French lentils du Puy hold their toothsome shape, unlike their brown or red brethren.

This is the kind of soup that only requires some crackers or a loaf of crusty bread for dipping and nothing else. Dinner is served.

Obviously, this vegan mushroom soup doesn’t have a drop of dairy. It gets its creaminess by way of raw cashews. (If you don’t have a high-speed blender, you’ll need to soak the raw cashews for a few hours in water to soften them. Just drain off the soaking liquid before starting the recipe.)

This filling & bone-warming creamy vegan mushroom soup includes:

Cremini or button mushrooms

French lentils du Puy

Basmati brown rice

Onions & garlic

Sage & thyme

And a mushroom-y cashew cream

Vegan mushroom soup reheats well if you want to make extra. Just be aware that it will continue to thicken in the refrigerator. So you’ll need to add a splash of water before reheating.

If you’re a big mushroom fan like I am, you’re going to love this cozy and warming sauna-in-a-bowl.

(Short on time? I used Basmati brown rice here, but if time is at a minimum, grab pink rice instead. Reduce the cooking liquid by ½ cup, and cook for just 20 minutes instead of 30 before adding the mushroom-y cashew cream.)

This creamy mushroom soup with lentils and brown rice is just the trick for frigid, snowy days. It is warming and cozy. Plus, the lentils and brown rice give it enough oomph to power you through shoveling duties.

If you'd like to make this soup in an Instant Pot, check out the notes.**

In a blender, combine raw cashews (soaked & drained if necessary), 1/2 cup water, miso paste, and 2 large mushrooms that have been cut into quarters. (Save the remaining mushrooms for the soup.) Once it is fully blended and creamy, set aside for later use.

Cut the remaining mushrooms into thin slices and set aside.

Bring a soup pot to a medium heat with extra virgin olive oil. Saute onion and garlic in the pot for a few minutes, until fragrant. Add the sliced mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Continue cooking for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally, while the mushrooms release their liquid and soften.

Add 3 1/2 cups water, French lentils du Puy, brown rice, vegetable bouillon cube, dried rosemary, dried thyme, and a pinch more salt. Stir and bring to a simmer. Once the liquid has started to simmer, lower heat and cover for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, test the rice and lentils to make sure they are done. If not, cook for 5 minutes more. Then add the cashew cream to the pot, stir, and continue cooking for another 5 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Add freshly ground pepper and any additional salt to taste.

Cuisine: Vegan |Recipe Type: Soup

Notes

*If you don't have a high speed blender, cover the raw cashews in additional water and soak them for several hours in the refrigerator then drain before starting recipe. If you have a high speed blender, you don't need to soak the cashews first.

**I don't have an Instant Pot yet, but a reader has made this soup in one. Cook for 20 minutes with natural release. Add the cashew cream once it's done and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Thanks, Becky! Yes, as much as I love a mushroom soup, if I really want it to stick with me, adding something protein-dense like lentils is a must. Plus, lentils and mushrooms play very nicely together.

Made this last night and Wow!
Such wonderful and complex flavours from this easy to make soup.
Ended up making in the iPot at 20 min and natural release, adding the cashew cream once that was done and let sit for 5 min.
Looking forward to having leftovers for lunch.

You can easily omit the miso paste. That's no problem. It adds some saltiness and umami, but it's not essential. The cashews are trickier, because they're what gives the soup creaminess. If you just left out the cashews, you'd have a brothy soup. It's that creaminess that makes it kind of magical. You could try using some kind of non-dairy creamer instead... But I'd probably recommend just making a different soup. This double lentil mushroom barley soup is very nice, and it doesn't include cashews or miso paste.

This popped up on my Pinterest and it looks amazing! Just wondering if you thought that replacing the cashews (nut allergy) with sunflower seed would work. I looked up good replacements for cashews and apparently sunflower seeds is a good one if creamy results are wanted.
Thanks!

Thank you, Kate! I haven't tried it with sunflower seeds, but it's worth a shot. I've heard really good things about Isa Moskowitz's sunflower seed-based mac and cheese. So it seems like it would work! Let me know if you try it!